Flexible fire-resisting shutter and slat therefor.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

E. H. MQCLOUD.

FLEXIBLE FIRE RESISTING SHUTTER AND SLAT THEREFOR.-

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 27, 1908.

witme/awo EDWARD H. MoOLOUD,

OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

FLEXIBLE FIRE-BESISTINQSHUTTER AND SLAT THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. s, 1908.

Application filed. January 27, 1908. Serial No. 412,777.

To all whom it may concern: I i

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. MoCLoUi), a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented 'a certain new and useful Improvement in Flexible Fire- Re'sisting Shutters and Slats Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of slat for. the manufacture of flexible shutters or curtains, and a shutter or curtain that shall possess reat strength,- shall resist fire and have great exibility at the joint. 7

The invention consists in the construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawin s showing embodiments of the invention-] igure 1. is a vertical transverse section of a slat with con-' nected portions of two similar slats; Fig. 2 is j a similar viewshowing a similar joint but from Fi .3,

with the slat made particularly water-shedding; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but on a smaller scale and showing end-locks applied; Fig. 4 is a projection, in elevation,

looking to the left at Fig. 3.

In al the views the slat is indicated as formed out of a strip of sheet metal.

In Figs. 1 and 3 the outer face of the body 5 of the slat is vertical and the upper and lower edges are bent to stand horizontal, as seen at 5 a and 5 C respectively. The lower horizontally-bent edge is formed with a substan-- tially cylindrical roll, as seen at 5, constituting an exterior hinge member, and the upper horiz0ntally-bent edge is formed with a roll 5 preferably elliptical in form and of smaller diameter horizontally than the internal diameter of the roll 5 but of a diameter vertically substantially equal to that of the roll 5 so that when the roll 5 is inserted in the roll 5 it can turn therein with greatfreedom and at the same time retain the slats with their shoulders or horizontally-extending portions in close proximity to each other near hinging rolls. A further advantage of this form of hinge joint is the fact that ample space is rovided for the evaporation of moisture from the joint and consequently the avoidance of rust. In Fig. 2 the same form of joint is shown on a slat constructed for shedding water from the exposed face. In this view the face 5 of the slat is inclined to the vertical and at its lower edge it is formed with a lip 5 overhanging the edge of the slat joined to it next below.

The end lock (shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 4) comprises a head 6 having an outline that projects beyond the outline of a slat and'the joints of two connected slats so as to form a bearing to prevent wear of the slats in the guiding channels in which they move. The end look also includes a shan 6 for securing it to the body of the slat, rivets 7 being employed for that purpose. The end locks as usual can be applied to the opposite ends of alternate slats when in the shutter or curtain and they will prevent undue longitudinal movement of the slats on each other.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let- .ters Patent is:

1. A slat for the construction of flexible shutters or curtains including a strip of sheet metal bent at its lower edge to form a wide shoulder and a substantially cylindrical roll constituting a hinge member, and at its upper edge to form a corresponding shoulder and a substantially elliptical roll constituting a hinge member of a vertical diameter to fit withinthecylindrical hinge member'and .of a horizontal diameter considerably smaller than the corresponding internal diameter of the cylindrical hinge member. 2. A flexible shutter or curtain made up chiefly of slats including a strip of sheet metal bent at its lower edge to form a wide shoulder and a substantially cylindrical roll constituting a hinge member, and its lower edge to form a corresponding shoulder and a substantially elliptical roll also constituting a hinge member of a vertical diameter to fit within the cylindrical hinge memberand of a horizontal diameter considerably smaller than the corresponding internal diameter of the cylindrical hinge memben EDWARD H. MCCLOUD. Witnesses:

ALBERT R SH, ANNA TERESA KING. 

